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THE INFANCY & EARLY CHILDHOOD TRAINING COURSE Online Post-Conference Workshop

Regulatory Sensory Processing Disorders

Sensory, Motor, & Emotional Patterns Underlying Challenges in Relating & Communicating.

Rosemary White OTR/L DIR/ Faculty Rosemary White, OTR/L

• Neurodevelopmental Therapy Certified • Sensory Integration Certified • DIR®/Floortime Certified • DIR®/Floortime Senior Faculty • Facultyyg ICDL PhD Program

Pediatric PT and OT Services Pacific Northwest Pediatric Therapy 20310 19th Ave NE 4305 SE Milwaukie Ave Shoreline, WA 98155 Portland, OR 97202 206 367 5853 503 232 3955

[email protected] www.pedptot.com DIR® / Floortime – Greenspan and Wieder

• Developmental Functional Emotional Developmental Levels - The essential foundation for interacting

• Individual-Difference Developmental Challenges Related to Processing and Regulation

• Relationship Based Approach Relationships organize the child’s experience and support all domains of development. DIRD.I.R. Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship Based Model

Functional • Affective interactions Emotional Develop relationships, Developmental Emotional range, • Regulation and Sym bo lic capacities, Relationships shared Abstract thinking and • Engagement Creativity. • Intentional two- way communication • Complex • Biologically based Individual Emotional problem solving/gestures Differences in sensory Differences Level • Representation Processing/modulation, al capacities Muscle tone, motor planning and • Emotional sequencing Thinking THE INFANCY & EARLY CHILDHOOD TRAINING COURSE

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PART 2 - THE SOCIAL BRAIN

Regulatory Sensory Processing Disorders Sensory, Motor, & Emotional Patterns Underlying Challenges in Relating & Communicating.

Rosemary White OTR/L DIR/Floortime Faculty The Social Brain

• The link between the brain and social abilities range from the simple motor skills that allow people to stand a proper distance from an acquaintance to the highest function that sustain moral decisions. • Even though we typically think of emotional, psychological, or moral capacities as learned, the exi s tence of a soci al bra in in dica tes tha t our social skills also have a partly biological basi s. John Ratey, 2002 The Social Brain

• Humans evolved as social animals; • When we interact with others we need – Attention, perception, and memory to recognize another person and recall what we know about them and past dealing with them . – Emotion to interpret the feelings and intentions of others. – Motor skills and language to respond in socially appropriate ways. John Ratey, 2002 The Social Brain

• In the social brain lower and higher functions are equally important for successful behavior as we have to pay attention to many stimuli and respond to many actions all at the same time. – Chatting at the water cooler requires maintaining the right distance, a neutral posture, appropriate body language , good/flexible eye contact, a balance of listening and speaking - all physically lower skills that have nothing to do with intellect but weigh heavily on social success. John Ratey, 2002 Development of the Social Brain

• The beauty of development of the social brain is that it can be approached from so many different angles, and the richer and move varied the experiences, the stronger the neural connections will become.

• The social brain is not a single entity found in any one place. Rather it comprises of a combination of different structures and systems working together in harmony. John Ratey, 2002 Development of the Social Brain Ba by an d Mo ther In terac ting

Mother enters ->infant smiles ->mother responds with a smile ->baby smile broadens -> mother’s smile broadens

• This is interpreted as the mother supporting the infant emotional regg,ulation, which is im pgprinting on the bab y’s develo pgping anterior temporal cortex. • The mother and infant are in a positive feedback loop of sensory, motor, affective interaction in which the child is learning about emotiona l express ion as the mo ther an d in fan t sync hron ize the ir emotional states. • At this stage the mother and infant are so closely tied that the infant cannot distinguish between his own internal states and his mother’s influence. John Ratey, 2002 Development of the Social Brain Ba by an d Mo ther In teracti ng

• While it is important to learn about emotions and emotional regulation through this period of intense closeness, it is also important for both mother and child to develop boundaries, to learn how to individuate. • When there is too much physiological arousal in the infant and he may become uncomfortable and he will look away. • The moth er can eff ecti vel y mai nt ai n an i n teracti on with her infant by knowing when to pay attention and when to withdraw. • This provides the foundation for the rhythms of social communication. John Ratey, 2002 Development of the Social Brain Shared Att enti on

• The infant begins to demonstrate capacities for shared attention in the first year of life. • Alternating gaze is present when the infant engages in attending and then gazes at the parent to see if they are sharing the same focus of attention. At this stage in development the infant is focused on self. • The infant later points to indicate to the parent his focus of attention. • Later, the infant follows the parent’s gaze, point and then verbal comments to share attention around the parent’s focus of attention. Development of the Social Brain Shared Attention • Alternating gaze between object and person (child initiates) • Responding – fllfollow th e gaze of someone el se (child responds) • Initiating coordinated attention to elicit aid in attaining an object or event (9-24 mths)

Joint attention is initiated with Gaze ->ppgointing -> vocalizations -> words. Peter Mundy, November 2006 Development of the Social Brain Shared Attention • Self Monitoring – Once you can look back and forth you have – Your own perception of the object and your representation of self – Awareness of the other person looking at the object and representing that – They are putting both those things together. Peter Mundy, November 2006 Development of the Social Brain Joint Attention Breaking that down to skills involves – Self monitor – Other mon itor – Integrate that together and in order to do that you have to be able to switch your attention between self and other – fast in time – so you have to disengage, flexibly switch attention to other, then switch back – you have to be able to remember things and represent them, you have to self monitor and other monitor.

Peter Mundy, November 2006 The Social Brain

• Joint attention involves interconnectivity within various brain areas Frontal area, temporal and orbital areas function in synchrony – interconnectivity. (Peter Mundy)

• Ventral Social Brain (Geraldine Dawson) – Orbital frontal cortex – Amygdala – Fusiform – Superior Temporal Cortex – Corpus Collusum – interconnects the hemispheres – Above the Corpus Collusum is the Anterior Cingulate Gyrus – connects the cortex with the lower emotional areas – the Anterior Cingul at e G yrus i s i nvol ved i n swit chi ng b ack and f orth , self regulating emotions. The Social Brain

• Cerebellum - “rhythm and blues” center keeping actions , emotions, language, and memories, running smooth and seamless. It is crucial for enabling us to do the social dance gracefully. • Limbic System - Especially the amygdala and hypothalamus, gives us the pressure to seek others and helps add intensity to social bonds through hormones and direct neuronal input. The amygdala plays a crucial role in face recognition, connecting with the hippocampus and arousal system to tie together memory and behavioral response to tell us how to respond to that particular face. John Ratey 2002 The Social Brain

• Anterior Cingulate Gyrus (part of the Limbic System) - Receives more input from the thalamus (sensory filter) than any other cortical region and has many connections to other brain areas. It directs our inner response to others and keeps us willing an interested in being with them. • Orbital Frontal Cortex - Error catcher and with its partners, the anterior cingulate gyrus and the ventdiltfthftllbiilftromedial cortex of the frontal lobe, is crucial for empathy and evaluation of genuineness of the words and intentions and comments of others. John Ratey, 2002 The Social Brain

• Right Hemisphere - Helps pick up on non verbal cues in speech and gesture as well as in facial expressions. Emotional prosody, or the tone of voice - the emotional content of speech which gives cues as to other people’s moods and intentions. • The right parietal lobe is involved in attention, music, body image, body scheme, face recognition and the physical act of dressing. It is crucial in giving an overall picture of ourselves in space and how we relate physically to another person. • Left Hemisphere - Deciphering the content of language. John Ratey 2002 The Social Brain

• As social development continues facial expp,ression, tone of voice and body ygg language are all important social cues that the child must learn in order to navigate the environments in their life (home, ggprandparents, ,g neighbors, ,y, daycare, school, playground) The “R” - Relationships

The foundations for life is built on the ability to attain and sustain a co-regulated interaction.

Primary Principle Relationships are the vehicle for creating learning interactions which are tailored to child’s individual processing differences and thereby enable child to progressively master functional developmental capacities. THE INFANCY & EARLY CHILDHOOD TRAINING COURSE

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PART 3 - SOCIAL RELATEDNESS AND AFFECT CUEING

Regulatory Sensory Processing Disorders Sensory, Motor, & Emotional Patterns Underlying Challenges in Relating & Communicating.

RWhitOTR/LRosemary White OTR/L DIR/Floortime Faculty SOCIAL RELATEDNESS AND AFFECT

Social relatedness: • RiReciproc ity • Anticipation

Affect cueing system: • Social referencing • Joint attention

REFERENCES: Mirror Neurons (Rizzolatti), Immaturity of Cell development in Limbic System and Cerebellum (Bauman); Joint Attention (Mundy, Dawson, Courschasne) THE INFANCY & EARLY CHILDHOOD TRAINING COURSE

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PART 4 - SENSORY PROCESSING

Regulatory Sensory Processing Disorders Sensory, Motor, & Emotional Patterns Underlying Challenges in Relating & Communicating.

Rosemary White OTR/L DIR/Floortime Faculty Regulatory Capacities - Reactivity • Response to sensory stimuli (hyper/hypo/mixed) – Visual – Auditory – Tactile – Vestibular – Proprioceptive –Taste – Odor • Dominant Functional Profile - Arousal & Sensory Modulation

• Sensory Processing • Sensory Modulation • Salient Landscape and Emotional Response

How do we b ri ng our und erst andi ng of thi s individual difference into our affective interaction? Is it more than sensory diet?

s

systems,

IMPACTS and learn

proprioceptive,

s ability to process sensory information from s ability to process sensory information the SENSORY PROCESSING ’

in concert with their ability to maintain regulation

vestibular, tactile, auditory, visual, gustatory, olfactory olfactory visual, gustatory, tactile, auditory, vestibular,

The child How the child experiences the world, interacts with others interacts experiences the world, How the child Dual Coding

• Sensory experiences are dual coded for affect

• Affective experiences are perceived as sensation

• NihNeither experience occurs without the other. Osten, 2006 Sensory Modulation Continuum (Range of Response)

Shutdown/ Lack Approach/Avoi Shutdown Habituate Orient Attend Escalated Fight/Flight w’drawl Attention d /w’drawl

Failure to orient <> Homeostasis <> Over Orientation

High Low Neurophysiological Neurophysiological Threshold Threshold

Poor Sensitivity to Stimuli Registration Fight or fright Sensation Sensory avoiding Seeking Flight or freeze RANGE OF RESPONSE – APPROPRIATE ATTENTION

• Attentive (homeostasis) > focused attention to salient stimuli with habituation to extraneous stimuli RANGE OF RESPONSE – DECREASED REGISTRATION

ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THRESHOLD

• Shutdown > Extremely low registration in which the child usually acts in accordance to his threshold • Under Responsive > Lack of attention, low registration, hypo responsive, excessive habituation – to body, to environment; to cues from those around him (mild to moderate low registration). RANGE OF RESPONSE – DECREASED REGISTRATION

ACT TO COUNTERACT THEIR THRESHOLD

• Sensory seeking – hyper active • Shifting attention RANGE OF RESPONSE – INCREASED REGISTRATION

SENSITIVITY TO STIMULI

• Hyperfocus > overattentive (mildly heightened response) • Defensive > Escalated – giggle; talkative; tangential; intense play ; lack safety (heightened response) • Defensive > fight and flight; approach/avoidance (extremely heightened response) RANGE OF RESPONSE – INCREASED REGISTRATION

SENSATION AVOIDING

• Defensive > Protective - fright or freeze,

• Defensive > Withdrawn (extremely heightened response) SENSORY PROCESSING - REACTIVITY

• Salience Landscape Theory – Typically a child will respond to a stimulus in the visual cortex and information will be relayed to the amygdala which then leads an appropriate emotional response to the stimulus – Children with present with an altered connection between the visual cortex and the amygdala which distorts the child’s response, the amygdala then triggers autonomic nervous system raising heart rate. The child then looks away to reduce distress. – Research of Interest • CAN (Cure Autism Now) • Lucy Miller (SPD Foundation) THE INFANCY & EARLY CHILDHOOD TRAINING COURSE

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PART 5 - SENSORY AFFECTIVE EMOTIONAL REGULATION

Regulatory Sensory Processing Disorders Sensory, Motor, & Emotional Patterns Underlying Challenges in Relating & Communicating.

RWhitOTR/LRosemary White OTR/L DIR/Floortime Faculty REGULATION REFLECTS PHYSIOLOGICAL & EMOTIONAL MATURATION OF THE CHILD

• Sensory/affectve/emotional regulation. • Affect cues to regulate -> impulse control. • Social awareness and regulation of behavior relative to the social environment.

How do we address this – In the flow of a co -regulated interaction – Symbolically – In reality Regulation Reflects Physiological and Emotional Maturation of the Child

• Regulation is facilitated by the caregiver providing comforting stimulation to the infant in response to the infant’s unique sensory profile. Synchrony between caregiver’s handling and the child’s calming behaviors enables the child to develop internal regulation and control of his or her behavior. • The caregiver continues to provide support for regulation through sensory stimulation in the first years of life but the intensity of their support diminishes as the infant, toddler and child develop their own strategies. • As the child matures the caretaker role shifts from sensory support to affect and verbal cues. This is particularly evident around regulation of behavior in relation to the social environment. • As the child matures his regulation of behavior shifts from the external guidance of the caretaker and those intimate to the child, to the child developing his own internal control and an inner voice.

As a resu lt o f regu lati on th e child d evel ops - • Capacity to increase attention to task and to self calm. • The abilityyp to curb or monitor behavior in response to environmental cues. • Impulse control, flexibility and a decreased need for structure and predictability . SELF REGULATION

• Self-regulation is the ability to achieve, monitor and change a state of attention and behavior to match the demands of the environment or situation.

• Self regulation enables the individual to initiate and cease activiti es in re la tion to the tas k an d s itua tiona l demands and to comply with a request of another.

• Self regulation provides the foundation of ones ability to function in society. DeGangi (2000) THE INFANCY & EARLY CHILDHOOD TRAINING COURSE

Online Post -Conference Workshop

PART 6 - PRAXIS

Regulatory Sensory Processing Disorders Sensory, Motor, & Emotional Patterns Underlying Challenges in Relating & Communicating.

Rosemary White OTR/L DIR/Floortime Faculty PRAXIS

Praxis is the moment from which one faces the future with the resources gained from the past experiences. Ex ecu tiv e Fu nction is the an essential part of praxis - with the Pre-Frontal Cortex orchestrating information for function. PRAXIS

• Contributes to ORGANIZATION of self in interactions with people and with objects.

• Praxis is the ability to conceive of an idea, plan the necessary steps and organize the sequence of steps, then execu te th e pl an an d fina lly an d mos t importantly adapt the plan when there is a disruption. – Depends on mirror neurons, shared attention, anticipation, cross modal integration and intact prefrontal cortex leading executive function, efficient sensory processing and reactivity, efficient motor control. The Case for Affect

• Intent provides the purpose and the direction to organize the various parts of our miidnd.

•Emotion is a ppgrocess that integrates distinct entities into a functional whole (Siegel and Hartzwell, 2003)

Osten, 2006 AFFECT

Affective interactions at each of the 6 levels facilitates the development process: • Affect ive interacti ons hlhelp t he child regulate around sensory experiences • Affective interactions and experiences allow the child to draw meaning from sensory events • Affect helps the create connections between different develllopmental domains, like memory, motor, cognitive, visual spatial,etc. • Affect drives the development of functional adaptive responses. Osten, 2006 PRAXIS

• Efficient praxis enables the child to - – take in the sights, sounds and action in the environment and develop ideas about what to do (intentions) – organize their body relative to their ideas (mirror, imitate, organize) – sequence purposeful gestures and actions, – execute actions to convey ideas and obtain desires, – master physical skills and problem solve physical actions to lead to independence (body power, play skills and self help) – seek help when one realizes that they cannot solve the problem – adapt a plan when the environment changes or in response to another’s actions and words - “mental manipulation” - thinking, planning and organization becomes more than the physical action Postural Control for Function (h(physi cal organi zati on of praxi i)s)

• Can sequence purposeful gestures and actions, – to mirror others (emotionally driven physical interactions) – to indicate desires (simple physical actions and interactions - a gaze, a reach) – to obtain desires (simple bat and reach with a purpose) – to imitate others gestures and actions (focus on physical action) – to problem solve motor steps with their body to move successfully in space to interact with people and objects in their environment – for exploration and then functional use of toys, – for self-help – for back and forth interaction with family and peers

Depends on “mirror neurons”, sense of body scheme, interconnectivity , persistence. (Remember we need to think more comprehensively about praxis as this encompasses more than j ust mot or pl anni ng and sequenci ng.) Intention to Communicate

INTENTION TO COMMUNICATE • Attuning to play partner • Referencing • Mirroring •Gestures • Vocalizations • Words • Phrases • Sentences in a back and forth pppurposeful interaction

REFERENCES - SCERTS Model (Prizant and Wetherby); Visual Reality (Sima Gerber), DIR®/Floortime (Greenspan and Wieder) Response to Sound, Gesture & Verbal CitiCommunication

• Observations of the child’s ability to attune and orient to the auditory environment, to affect and gestures and to comprehend words (w) (with benefit of signs/gestures (s) and/or visual (v) strategies • orient to the auditory source in the environment (auditory figure ground) • attune to the key tones and prosody in another’s vocalizations • Responds to key gestures in another’s interaction. • respond to key words in another’s vocalizations; • Switches auditory attention back and forth between self and others (self monitor, other monitor, integration) • foll ow direc tions (#), • understand questions (how, what,where, who, what … if, if ... then), • Engage in conversations with abstract ideas

(Remember we need to think more comprehensively, more than words or understanding scripts but the understanding of language for back and forth reciprocal interaction - communication.) Use of Vocalizations, Gestures, Works & Language for Communication

• The child • mirrors vocalizations and gestures with intent to communicate • intentional use of unique non-verbal gestures to convey intentions, • affective tone and sounds to convey intentions, • single meaningful words to convey actions and desires, • two word phrases meaningfully, • sentences meaningfully, • phrases and sentences in back and forth exchanges

The child organizes vocalizations for the communicative dance, then developing organization of oral motor structures for meaning, then developing words to convey ideas and intentions. (Remember we need to think of language in the context of interaction) Response to Visual Environment

The child can – • observe and focus on desired person or object, • alternate gaze • follow the ggjaze of another to determine the object of their and their intent • flexibly shift gaze from object to person and back • differentiate salient visual stimuli from background stimuli • explore the environment freely and stay regulated • actively search for an object she sees hidden • explore two areas of the room and search for desired object • explore more than two areas • coorditdinate v isua l sys tem w iththibdith their body as they move throug h space • coordinate visual system with fine motor coordination around an object

Visual/auditory/physical integration is the foundation for interaction. Mirror neurons, interconnectivity contribute to visual processing. Cerebellar function supports attuning, visual rhythm and visual spatial perception PRAXIS

When there is a challenge in praxis we have to determine the contributing areas of difficulty and address them in an affective thinking relationship. Assessment

• DEVELOPMENTAL HISTORY; • OBSERVATION OF FAMILY PATTERNS; • OBSERVATIONS OF CHILD-CAREGIVER INTERACTIONS -> Functional Emotional Developmental Levels – Shared attention and regulation – Engagement – Affect to Intent – Behavioral Organization and Shared Problem Solving – Elaboration of Ideas – Building Bridges between Ideas

Range of Capacity – At age level (7) – Achieves Capacity Independently - at age level but vulnerable to sensory and or emotional factors (6); Not at age level and cyclical (sensory or emotional) but independently comes back (5); – Needs Caretaker Support - With affect and support child expands (4); islands (3); In and out (2); Barely reached (1). Assessment

ASSESSMENT OF THE UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL PROFILE – Regulatory capacities, sensory processing and sensory modulation; – Postural control for function; – Response to sound, gesture and verbal communication; – Use of vocalizations, gestures, words and language for communication; – Response to visual environment; – Praxis - ideation, planning, sequencing, execution and adaptation. Functional and Social Challenges Reflecting Individual Differences

• Sensitivity - emotionally and physically – Can contribute to anxiety, defensive behavior. • Challenggges in regulation - emotionallyypyy and physically – Can contribute to impulsivity, shifts of attention, misinterpretation of social cues - gesture, affect and language of others. • Challenges in Praxis - ideational or ideo-motor – Can contribute to lack of focus, rigidity , expression of boredom. – Cfff’Can contribute to difficulty in following another’s lead. – Can be interpreted as the child “marches to their own drum”, or is “non compliant” or “stubborn”. HOW DO WE “CALIBRATE” OUR INTERACTIONS TO SUPPORT “INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES ”? The d evel opment al capaciti es tha t emerge during the child’s early years.

THE ESSENTIAL FOUNDATION FOR INTERACTION. DIR: Functional Emotional Developmental Levels

• Regulation and shared attention – calm and focus to take mutual interest in the siggghts and sounds; social referencing Birth>3months

• Forming attachments and engaging in relationships with warm th, trust and i n timacy – ltlater st ayi ng rel ltdated across fllfull range of emotions >2 months

• Intentional 2-way affective communication (affect to intent) –purposeful continuous flow of interactions with gestures and affective reciprocal interactions >6h6 months DIR: Functional Emotional Developmental Levels

• Complex Social Problem Solving -Behavioral Organization, a sense of Self: able to problem solve through social interactions in a continuous flow using long sequences of gestures – leads you to object, imitates, social play >10 months

• Emotional Ideas – able to represent or symbolize intentions, feelings and ideas in imaginative play or language using words and symbols (representational capacities and elaboration). >19 months

• Emotional thinking – bridges and combines ideas together to become logical and abstract ; able to differentiate represented experience to distinguish reality from fantasy, self from non self, one feeling from another, and across time and space. >30-48 months Functional Emotional Levels and Indi v idua l Differences - Putting it All Together so that Relationships Thrive REMEMBER AMID THE SCIENCE AND THEORY

This is not sensory alone, but we have to consider the whole child - the sensory, affective, emotional, motor development in the context of their relationships with others and with their world.

• RHYTHM AND RECIPROCITY • RELATIONSHIP • CO- REGULATION BUT ABOVE ALL HAVE FUN WITH ONE ANOTHER WHAT DOES TREATMENT LOOK LIKE ? Treatment is relationship driven.

Focus is on both the parent and the child in their relationship insuring that you are guiding them to sustain a back and forth interaction. Taking into account - – Shared Attention and Engagement – Sensory Processing and Reactivity – Emotional Responses – Intention to communicate – Praxis and Adaptation

The goal is to achieve a coco--regulatedregulated interaction. INTERACT WITH RHYTHM & RECIPROCITY - THE KEY TO SUPPORTING DEVELOPMENT

• Affect (facial expression, tone of voice, physical action and gesture) is the “glue” for functional emotional development

• Sensoryyp, input, including gpp proprioce ption , touch and movement in our physical interaction and visual and auditory in our affective interaction, is the “glue” for the neurological organization.

• Pacing in relation to the interactive partner to take into account prediction, anticipation, planning and adaptation is essential to support the interaction.

• Focus on cross modal integration at the cortical level is essential to support develop in the relationship.

To treat the whole child one has to address all areas simultaneously. The goal is to achieve co-regulated interaction with many circles of communication. The Affect Piece -

Affect is the “glue” for functional emotional development.

• The child responds to the caregiver who engages in the affective dance

• The child who is under responsive is drawn into the relationship when the caregiver is very engaging, up regulating and brings meaning to the child’s every action. The interaction can be very “vibrant”.

• The child who is over responsive is drawn into the relationship when the caregiver is equally engaging but their actions and voice are down regggulating. The interaction is often at a whis p,per, with slow, predictable movements drawing the child into a safe and secure relationship. The Dance -

• Affective interaction

• Sensory Modulation and Attention

• Regulation (caretaker support -> self regulation)

• Interaction at all the Functional Emotional Levels of Development The Interactive Piece

• Always interact with the goal to embrace the child’s idea

• Treat every action as purposeful

• Build on the child’s ideas by watching his actions and listening to his ideas and then, by joining the child’s intentions with gg,yesture and words, try to stretch the idea. Build on the Child’s Ideas

• Embrace the child’s learning style – is he visual, auditory, does he need demonstration or to be physically supported to facilitate success with his ideas and his actions. Build on the child’s ideas.

• YlitkthltihiiYour goal is to keep the relationship going (increasing the circles of interaction)

• With every action or interaction with the child use affect, gesture and tone to impart to the child that you expppect a response. PRINCIPLES OF

DIR® / FLOORTIME:

• Extend the interaction - the relationship is in thfft(ilfthe forefront (circles of communi iti)cation) • Broaden the child’s range of interactive experience – Deepen the thematic and the emotional range – Broaden the ranggpe of processin g or motor capacities used in interactions • Simultaneously attempt to mobilize the six functional developmental levels. (Greenspan and Wieder) SOME PRINCIPLES FOR INTERACTION Principles of Interaction in DIR®/Floortime • Mobilize affect - the child’s emotions, feelings and expression of emotional response.

• Ask yourself: what is the child’s wish? Avoid a “pop quiz” or “20 questions” Join the child!

• Look for intent- how do you know what the child has in mind?

• Facilitate enactment - how can you help the child do what he/she wants to do? • Use the sensory environment to “woo” the child, entice him and foster ideas and .

• Add a sound or action to the child’s action so that your interaction makes his experience bigger and broa der than he can ac hieve from so litary p lay. • Focus on integrating engagement & affect into your interactions • Referencing • Mirror neurons • Six layers of the cortex - use your affect to enhance the child’s ability to predict, anticipate and adapt. Marie Caufield, 2006 • Treat all vocalisations with care…affective ranggyqe influenced by different frequencies… • Watch your own affect and note it’s effect on regulation • BfthfBe aware of the power of your gestures. Marie Caufield, 2006 • Take every action as intentional and purposeful.

• BUT - Do not take the child’s ignoring as intent to “hurt” you - consider his individual differences Stretch Every Interaction (Taffy Pulling - Circles of Interaction)

• Be PLAYFULLY obstructive • Play dumb • Make opening a cupboard take five minutes as you use gesture and affect to maintain the co-regulated interaction • Throw “curve balls” • Comment • QtiQuestion • Break directions into fewer parts AT THE SAME TIME

•Keeppy your lan gua ge sim ple • Ensure the children see what they hear • Use a moderate rate of speech, sometimes slow rate • 10-Second Rule allow s child longer to respond • Language is an auditory stimulus that moves through space - gesture and affect lasts longer and give meaning WAIT ! Address the Phys ica l Exper ience an d Play in the Context of the Emotional Exper ience o f the Child

• Acknowledge and reflect to increase awareness • Acknowledge that the emotional experience gives meaning to the sensa tion • Focus on process not product • Functional use of language for the social context • Clarify the child’s intent through gesture, affect and language.

• Challenge the child’s closure - through gesture (psst, finger wiggle) or words (are you fini s he d?) In this way you are a lso supporting the child to have a completion of their ppglan without flight. • Get into the sppgirit of the child’s imagination

• Follow the child’s lead embracing the full emotional range

• Avoid asking questions that require a “Yes” or “No” answer.

• Bring in choices, and if the child always uses the last choice then throw in a “curve” ball or decrease the language and increase affect and gesture around the engagement. • Build on the child’s ideas by listening to his ideas and then with gesture and words try to stretch the idea.

• Become the character BUT – avoid asking for permission for your character to play, such as, “Can I get in the car”, rather – state what your character wants and desires, such as, “ I want to get in the car, I love red cars!” or “I want a cup of tea it smells delicious! ” • Embrace the child’s learning style – is he visual, auditory, does he need demonstration or to be physically supported to facilitate success with his ideas and his actions. • Think not only of the sensory experience but also how the child is organizing this experience in the cortex. How can you use yourself and your interaction to support cross modal integration. For example, use auditory to make the visual information more meaningful. • Challenge him to PREDICT what is going to happen – will the cushion go “down or up” when you get on it; “will the king attack from the ship or the land”, “ho w do yo u know ” (projected action sequences) • Challenge his choices “why do you want this red car?” when he says “I don’t know” -> “why not?”

• Challenge the child to convince you - “How are you going to convince me to give you an extra cookie?” Always Think about the Emotional Experience • Although you may want to move the drama along you also need to bring in emotional depth – nurturing and caring – chil d pow er (beh avi or al or ganiz ati on a sen se of self) – partnership and power – adversaries – resolution – reality COMMON PITFALLS AND STUCK MOMENTS IN DIR®/FLOORTIME Stuck! • The child retreats or w it hdraws. • Trying to keep it going, the play facilitator gets more intense (louder, bigger affective expression, more physical), increasing the child’s withdrawal. Try - • This is the time to join in low and slow. • Give the child a short break from the demands of interaction, then join in a soft voice. •Tryygyp something funny or unexpected when the child is calm. Stuck! • The play facilitator gets so carried away play ing tha t he /s he forge ts to f ocus on th e child’s initiation of ideas.

Try - • Wait the painful extra moments and observe what the child is initiating, then connect and expandhi/hidd on his/ her idea. Stuck ! • The child becomes excited with aggressive themes in play; and we don’ t play with guns. Try - • Don’ t back away from aggression. Learn to modulate it. • Aggressive play is how we learn to modulate and regulate the impulses that allow us to take positive initiative. Stuck! • Tellingggj the child “good job” and the interaction ends.

Try - • KthtifliKeep the continuous flow going. • Only make comments that open a new circle of commu nication and interaction. Stuck! • Responding too quickly to a child’ s request

Try - • Expand on the flow of interaction • Get more information, play dumb, be confused • Use every highly motivated moment ABOVE ALL HAVE

FUN

INTERACTING WITH YOUR

CHILD My thanks to Stanley Greenspan, MD, and, Serena Wieder , Ph.D., & Georgia DeGangi, Ph.D., OTR in helping my work with children and their families.

My thanks to Ricki Robinson,,,,, MD and Barbara Kalmanson, PhD, Beth Osten OTR, Lois Black Ph.D, Ruby Salazar CSW, Monica Osgood, Rick Solomon, Sima Gerber and all the other ICDL Faculty with whom I have worked each - every one of you have contributed to this curriculum through you work with me.

My thanks to Dr. A Jean Ayres for all the support and encouragement she gave me in my early years as a therapist and for all she has given to children and their families through her work .

Most importantly my thanks to all parents and children with whom I have worked, as well as my own children, you have taught me more than anything in the world.

Rosemary WEB SITES

• www.icdl.com • www. stanleygreenspan. com • www.celebratethechildren.org • www.coping.org/earlyinf/floortm • www.coping.org/earlyinf/fltmvols • www.coping.org/earlyinf/ruleout/rule1 • www.coppging.org /early inf/ruleout/rule2 • www.coping.org/earlyinf/ruleout/rule3 • www.coping.org/earlyinf/feas References

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• Blakeslee, S & Blakeslee, M (2007) The Body has a Mind of Its Own, Random House

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• Dunn, Winnie , PhD . OTR , FAOTA (1999) . Sensory Profile , User ’ s Manual, The Psychological Corporation.

• Fisher, A.G., Murray, E.A., Bundy, A.C (1991). Sensory Integration Theory and Practice . Philadelphia, PA: F .A . Davis Company • Goleman, Daniel (2006) Social Intelligence, the New Science of Human Relationshipp,,s: Bantam Dell, New York, New York

• Greene, Ross W. (1998). The Explosive Child. New York, NY. HarperCollins Books.

• Greenspan, Stanley, I. MD, De Gangi, Georgia, PhD. OTR; Wieder, Serena, PhD (2001) The Functional Emotional Assessment Scale (FEAS) for Infancy and Early Childhood; Interdisciplinary Council on Developpg,,yment and Learning Disorders, Bethesda, Maryland.

• Greenspan,Stanley, I, MD, Serena Wieder, PhD, (2001); Floor Time Techniques and the DIR Model for children and Families with Special Needs - Traininggp; Videotape Series; Interdiscip pylinary Council on Development and Learning Disorders, Bethesda, Maryland. • Greenspan, Stanley I., MD, (1999) Building Healthy ; The Six Experiences that Create Intelligence and Emotional Growth in Babies and Y oung Child ren. New Yor k, NY, Perseus Pu blis hing.

• Greenspan, Stanley I., MD, (1996) The Growth of the Mind and the Endangered Origins of Intelligence . Reading MA. Addison Wesley PblihiPublishing

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• Hawkins, Jeff with Sandra Blakeslee (2004) On Intelligence. Henry Holt and Company, New York • ICDL Facu lty (2005). In ter disc ip linary Counc il on D evel opment al and Learning Disorders -Diagnostic Manual for Infancy and Early Childhood (Mental Health, Developmental, Regulatory-Sensory Processing, Language and Learning Disorders

• Kranowitz, Carol Stock, MA (1998). The Out-of Sync Child. New York, The Berkley Publishing Group, Skylight Press

• HanfOOft, Barbara, MA, OTR, FAOTA; Lucy Jane Miller, PhD. O OSTR; Shelly J. Lane, PhD, OTR (2000) Toward Consensus in Terminology in Sensory Integration Hanshchu, Bonnie, OTR, (1998) Evaluation and Treatment of Sensory Processing Disorders. Three Day Seminar, August, 1998

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• Minschew, Nancy (2006) ICDL 10th Anniversary Conference - Notes from Presentation on Interconnectivity Therory

• Mundy, Peter (2006) ICDL 10th Anniversary Conference - Notes from Presentation on Development of Joint Attention

• Professor Jeanette Norden Vanderbilt University(2007) Understanding the Brain, DVD Series - The Teaching Company

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• Seigal, Dan (2005). Notes from Lectures on the Neurobiology of Psychonalytical Therapy

• Sensory Integration Theory and Practice: Part 3: Observable Behaviors: Sensory Integration Dysfunction. AOTA Inc.

• Scherzer, Alfred L.; Tscharneter, Ingrid (1990). Early Diagnosis and Therapy in Cerebral Palsy. New York and Basel; Marcel Dekker, Inc. • Jeffrey Schwartz, MD and Sharon Begley; The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force; Harper Collins Publications, New York; 2002

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• Williams, Mary Sue; Shellenberger, Sherry, (1994). “How Does Your Engine Run?”, Albuquerque, NM

MAGAZINES • Scientific America - November, 2006 - Mirror Neurons and Autism

Rosemary White OTR/L (2007)